Hi bobkat21 Here's the "DANCE" to disable the backup buzzer: 1. Sit in driver's seat - POWER ON (No passenger or heavy object in passenger seat); 2. Set the Trip/ODO to ODO, NOT Trip A or Trip B; Cycle through even if ODO already showing; 3. POWER OFF; 4. POWER ON to "Ready"; and WITHIN SIX SECONDS; 5. Press and HOLD the Trip/ODO button FOR 10 SECONDS OR MORE, then WHILE STILL HOLDING THE Trip/ODO button; 6. With your FOOT ON THE BRAKE, shift from P(Park button) to R, then back to P; then release the Trip/ODO button; 7. The speedometer will show "b on" or "b off" where you'd normally see the odometer reading. (If you followed the steps successfully!) 8. Press the Trip/ODO button to toggle the beep on or off; 9. POWER OFF Note: If your 12-volt battery is disconnected or discharged, this setting will revert to the factory standard (beep on). It's a little tricky but will work.
You're not a "little old lady" but you might want to rethink turning the alarm off. Seems there are lots of wrecks that result when people think they're in reverse when they're actually in drive, or vice versa. http://www.wreckedexotics.com/newphotos/weird/weird611.shtml
I'm not an old lady either but I'm waiting for the day when I can use it as an excuse for my chronic forgetfulness! But in all seriousness, I turned the back-up alarm off last week, and am already thinking about turning it back on because a couple times the car went in opposite direction from what I expected. The alarm wouldn't be so terrible if it weren't for the obnoxious alarm-clock-like sound. BTW, anyone know how to change it to something more pleasant?
To borrow from Henry Ford, you can make it sound like anything you want, as long as it is nothing, or that annoying beep.
I think the main problem with the factory backup beep is that it comes from the speakers in the car and can't be heard OUTSIDE, behind the car. You're in stealth mode and the dog/cat/granny/child can't hear you coming. I got a real backup beeper at Radio Shack and wired it in to a backup light circuit (directions here on PriusChat). It's loud and obnoxious and the person or animal behind the car knows something is happening. Then I turned off the interior beeps.
I turned off my back-up alarm because I installed a buzzer in the back that can be heard in the rear inside and outside. It was easy to do and I thought it added a little bit of safety. Kathleen
Thanks for the info, unfortunately Toyota took the ability to take disable the tone away from the owners of the Gen IIIs so now I need a trip to the dealer. (Dealer I bought it from, Lassen Toyota, said there was no way to disable it. I think they were just lazy.) I'm a pilot and when you hear that kind of alarm in a plane it's always bad news. Don't want to hear it every time I back up--not an emergency. I might consider keeping it if it wasn't so loud and annoying.
Yeah it's useful to have that audible feedback to know whether you've selected D or R, but a single beep would be enough already.
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